The present invention relates to multiple medication regimes where a patient or experimental subject is required to take multiple doses of medication, at intervals, there perhaps being more than one medication involved in the multiple doses. The present invention, particularly, relates to apparatus to ensure that the patient takes the correct medication at the correct time.
Very rarely, except, perhaps, for a single injection, does a patient receive a single medication in a single dose. More usually, the patient is given a course of tablets, or liquid medicine, to be taken over a course of days, months, or, perhaps, to the end of life. As patients age, the number of ailments increases and the number of medicines, and spaced doses, increases. There is a very real risk, documented in the medical literature, of compliance difficulties because of confusion over dosage schedules. The risk of multiple dosing, or of nil dosing, is ever present. Imperfect recollection can mean that, although a patient has remembered it is time to take a pill, he or she has forgotten to bring the pills. Compliance difficulties occur even when alert young adults are required to take one or two antibiotic tablets per day over a number of weeks, but are particularly significant in the elderly and in psychiatric disorders. The present invention seeks to provide an apparatus to overcome the problems of absent mindedness and forgetfulness.
In medical trials, subjects are tested to find the effect of medication. The statistical reliability of the trial is much improved if there exists a high probability that the subjects take their medication, as directed. The present invention seeks to provide an apparatus which assists in such a scheme.
Where multiple medications are required, a xe2x80x9cDosettexe2x80x9d (TM) box is the most commonly currently used method for facilitating compliance. It is a box, divided into compartments, each compartment storing the medication for a particular day. The patient still has to remember when to take each medication, and under what circumstances. The present invention seeks to provide improvement over such daily dosing schemes.
Daily dose bubble packs can also be provided. The patient still has to remember to take the medication from each bubble pack, and when to take it. The invention aspires to improve over this method.
According to a first aspect, the present invention consists in an apparatus for organising the taking of medication, said apparatus comprising: clock means, for keeping track of the passage of time; selection means, for selecting a time when a medication is to be taken; alarm means, for alerting a user when said clock reaches said selected time; and indication means, for identifying the medication to be taken.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the medication can be one of a plurality of medications, wherein the selected time can be one of a plurality of selected times, and wherein the indication means can be operative to identify which medication or medications is or are to be taken at each instance of operation of the alarm means.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the indication means can include dispensing means, operative to deliver the medication to be taken at the operation of the alarm means.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the dispensing means can be operative to retain medication that is not taken at the selected time.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus, wherein the clock means can be mechanical or electro-mechanical.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the selection means can comprise peg holes, each for the insertion of a peg to select its respective time, and wherein the indication means can comprise a plurality of different styles of pegs, the style of peg, employed to select a particular time, being indicative of the medication to be taken at that respective time.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the indication means can be operative to accept a plurality of different styles of peg to select any one particular time.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the clock means is electronic.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus which can comprise a memory for holding information about a medication and a time or times for taking that medication, and where the indication means can comprise a display for displaying the information when the time arrives to take the medication.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the memory can be operative to receive the information from an external processing means.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the memory can be operative to send the information to the external processing means.
The first aspect of the invention, further, provides an apparatus wherein the information can include medication identification, and/or dosage advice, and/or precautionary advice; and wherein the memory can be operative to store patient details.
According to a second aspect, the present invention consists in an external processor for use with apparatus for organising the taking of medication, where said apparatus comprises: an electronic clock for keeping track of the passage of time; a memory for holding information about a plurality of medications and a time or times for taking each medication; an alarm for alerting a user when said clock reaches a time for taking a medication; and a display for displaying the information concerning the medication when the time arrives to take the medication, said external processor being operative to be coupled to said memory to transfer information to said memory.
The second aspect of the invention, further, provides an external processor which can be coupled to read the information in the memory.
The second aspect of the invention, further, provides an external processor which can display the content of the memory.
The second aspect of the invention, further, provides an external processor which can analyse the content of the memory and can display any contra-indications.
The second aspect of the invention, further, provides an external processor wherein the information can include patient details.